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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — a break
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rest — what's left
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lie — to recline
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. snap — to click
  14. cell — a phone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. scale — in music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cell — in biology
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com